Apple Watch Series 10 Might Offer Blood Pressure Monitoring Feature

This news comes courtesy of Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who claims “all signs point” to the inclusion of this functionality in the upcoming fall release.

While Apple currently offers a suite of health-monitoring features on its Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2, including heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep tracking, blood pressure has remained far away. However, Gurman suggests the Watch Series 10 will introduce new hardware specifically designed to enable this long-awaited capability. This is in contrast to features like sleep tracking, which can often be implemented through software updates on existing devices.

The ability to monitor blood pressure directly from the wrist has the potential to be a game-changer for smartwatch users. It would allow for more frequent tracking and potentially lead to earlier detection of hypertension, a condition affecting millions worldwide and a major risk factor for heart disease. Early detection and management of hypertension can significantly improve health outcomes.

This move by Apple aligns with a growing trend in the wearable tech industry. Competitors like Samsung already offer BP monitoring capabilities on their Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 5, and the recently launched Galaxy Watch 6 series. Similarly, Huawei boasts similar functionalities in its Watch D. With Apple entering the segment, competition in the wearable health tech space is likely to intensify, potentially leading to further innovation and more advanced health-tracking features for consumers.

However, Gurman cautions that the initial iteration of blood pressure monitoring on the Apple Watch Series 10 might be limited. While it can provide insights into blood pressure, it might not offer precise readings like traditional cuff-based methods used by medical professionals. This is likely due to the challenges of scaling down such technology for a comfortable wrist-worn device.

Despite these limitations, the inclusion of blood pressure monitoring, even in a preliminary form, is a major step for Apple Watch.

It remains to be seen exactly how Apple will implement this feature and what limitations it might have. Nevertheless, the Apple Watch Series 10 is expected to be a potentially groundbreaking device in the realm of wearable health tech, offering users even deeper insights into their well-being.